An Unrequited Love
by ongakumist
Summary: They met in freshman year band. He had an untouchable aura to him, yet she finds herself hopelessly in love. A love that was denied so many times, he will never understand why she never gave up, even as the years passed. AU
1. Prologue

Sakura was a freshman. She was excited to meet new people. She heard that the band director was fun. This was her first high school experience. Her mother trained her to always be early. Too bad her mother had a habit of getting her to places too early... So there she was in the small band room, waiting anxiously for the next student to come in. She was jittery in her chair, wondering where the director was. In ones and pairs, students came in, getting their instruments and and sitting in spots they were all used to.

She met another freshman named Hinata, who was the exact opposite of what a trumpet player should be, not loud or obnoxious at all. Sakura got introduced to a trombone player, Naruto. They got along relatively well, but the one thing that caught her eye was the boy that blended in almost like a ghost.

That was went she saw him for the first time. He walked in, no one noticing him or at least they weren't acknowledging him. Her eyes were drawn to him right away. He didn't say anything. He didn't look at anyone or wave at anyone, which was the same response that everyone gave him. Something about him seemed almost unreachable, like he was way out of Sakura's league, and yet, she wanted to try with all her might to get to know him. She wanted to be his best friends. She wanted even more than that.

Kakashi-sensei arrived, but everything was a blur. Marching band music was handed out. They did a quick run-through of some of the pieces. Sakura's fingers stumbled on the body of her saxophone as sensei directed. Sakura kept glancing at the boy. She couldn't help it. He had a peculiar aura around him. He drew her in like bees to pollen.

There was a few minutes at the end of the lesson left to chat. Sakura headed over to Hinata and Naruto, getting to know the people that they were going to spend the rest of their band high school experience with. She watched the boy as he just went to stand in a corner by himself. She could help but giggle on the inside at how shy he could be.

"Say, Hinata, who is that over there?"

"You mean Sasuke?"

She bit her lip and furrowed her eyebrows for a minute before taking a breath.

That was the first time she said his name as well as the start of a friendship and a one-sided love that changed her life.


	2. Stubborn

Even after the few weeks I've had to get used to everything, I haven't. I don't know what to do. I still get lost. I've stumbled in the boys' restroom more than I wanted to. I thought I was going to just have an average high school life. I didn't realize the whole high school hierarchy was a real thing. I'm about to break out from at the acne air I breathed it._  
_

I, Sakura Haruno, already hated the start of the next 4 years of my life.

"Billboard-Brow!"

I felt a sharp slap on my back. I turned around the glare at the idiot I call my best friend. Her long blonde hair was in its usual ponytail. Her mischievous bright blue eyes twinkled as a wicked smile grew on her face. She brushed the sides of her blonde hair out of her face.

Ino Yamanaka was the type of girl that turns heads without even trying. She goes to school practically every day with no makeup, unlike me, who even while trying, is nothing more than a face next to the Ino Yamanaka. Her personality and how refined she can look walking down the hall is enough to get one's attention. Even if she klutzs up, everyone laughs and comments on how cute she is. She didn't have any trouble making her name known even in the first weeks of school.

"Your skirt zipper is down, you pig," I grumbled, rubbing the new bruises on my back. Ino swung her head to look at one of the reflections on the mirror and blushed while pulling up the side.

People walked by, chuckling at her pouty face as she forced the zipper up. She puffed out her cheeks and ran after her new friends, scolding them like a child. I adjusted the saxophone case on my back and started heading up to the storage rooms.

Ino and I have known each other since middle school. I remember right from the start, I hated her. My intuition was right. I can't stand my best friend, but we got along right from the start. We had the same likes and could talk about the same things. She dated some of the cutest boys in our middle school while I was only a shadow that followed her around with no name and no face. I didn't understand. We were the same and yet, in two different leagues.

Despite having no sense of direction, the music room was the class I made sure I knew how to get to in the first minutes of school. There couldn't be a better place for a room. It was away from everything, yet felt like it was the foundation of Konoha Acadamy. Literally, without this room, the school would collapse, because there would just be a giant hole, like Jenga.

Most people sit in the auditorium by the room since the door is usually locked due to the fact Kakashi-sensei has no concept of time. I climbed through of one of the abandoned room's window and made my way down the stairs that led to the window of just-described music room and jumped through. I set my case down and proceeded to take out the fun-icebreaker homework assignments that the teachers assign at the beginning of the school year. Tsunade-sensei's homework was the first you want to get done and out of the way. Missing anything from that woman is not a good idea. Getting on her bad side in general is not the wisest decision.

**Name?**  
_Sakura Haruno._  
**Other names you go by**?  
_Sakura._

I almost put down "Billboard-Brow" out of habit.

**What are your hobbies/talents/skills?  
**_Saxophone_**  
**

I felt deep down that music wasn't even close to being my talent. I love it, no doubt, but I didn't practice it 24/7, because I didn't need to. If I don't have to, I don't want to. My wants are directly proportional to my actions. Why? Because I'm a teenager. Then again, what the hell do teenagers know about strengths and weaknesses? Hasn't this teacher ever heard of teen angst?

**What are your interests?**

I paused. I couldn't put down what I wanted to put down. That's not the type of question that Tsunade-sensei was asking. Now that I have that thought in my mind… now that I have _him_ in my mind, there's no way I can concentrate enough to put down a real answer.

I remember seeing Sasuke Uchiha standing in a corner, not really sure what to do. I remember the way his deep obsidian eyes just wandered over the walls, like he was trying to study the architecture. I remember watching him fix his messy black hair but patting it down. To others he was an open book. It wasn't hard to see that he was the awkward type. So awkward that I could tell right away that he was a freshman, like me. And yet, he was still a puzzle. Why did everything about him seem so mysterious and so beyond me? He's the type that should have girls flocking at him. He's the type that would probably join the basketball team and then become the star player.

As if my wish came true, I turned to see aforementioned Sasuke Uchiha climbing through the door, tripping awkwardly at the end. I couldn't hold in my giggle.

He looked up at me with those dark bottomless eyes, "I just can't catch a break today can I?" As if it was natural, he sat in the chair right next to me and sighed.

"What's up with you?" I asked, wanting to know everything I could about him.

He ran a hand through his hair and began a story of how his little sister wanted him to see one of her swim meets, but that meet was the day of his band's performance. He went on about how it was the last meet and how he could easily be replaced for that night because drums "weren't that hard". He told me how his shirt wasn't uniform because the dog peed on his last night. When he talked to me, it was like he treated me differently than everyone else. I felt like I was special… Like he could only open up to me.

"You never really liked the people in your band anyways," I added, remembering him complaining about how they never got anything done.

Sasuke shrugged and looked at my lap at the paper that I was trying to fill out, "Interests? What does that mean?"

I sighed, "I think it's supposed to be things that I want to learn I guess... I'll put down love."

"Like crazy people being in love?" Sasuke asked, pointing to Tsunade, the psychology teacher.

"It's not like that stupid," I said while hitting him on the shoulder, "Don't you ever wonder what it is that makes you attracted to someone? What makes people attracted to someone that has hair that's blonde or red or…?"

"Pink?" he chuckled.

I blushed and touched the tip of my hair, "Yeah... like pink..."

He rolled his eyes, "I wouldn't take any classes from that Tsunade even if my life depended on it."

This was the day that I learned that Sasuke was a very stubborn person. He was stubborn on his answers, his decisions, and most of all, his feelings.


	3. Advice

"Do you wanna come over this weekend?"

I looked up at the open window of the music room to see Sasuke's face looking off in the distance. I scribbled away at my homework while he leaned on the window ledge, standing outside the room to get some of the fresh spring air. The way the wind blew his hair out of his face took my breath away. When he said those words, my feet shook from the way his voice rolled out from his chest.

I could feel my heart about to jump out of my chest and my brain start to pulsate inside my skull from the thoughts of what could lead from this weekend. Would we hang out in his room? Would I get to meet his family? Did he want me to meet his family? Does it have meaning or was he just being friendly? Has he noticed how my feelings? Did he feel the same way or is he just inviting me over out of pity? What should I wear? Should I do my hair…?

"Sakura," Sasuke called out to me, "Were you even listening?"

No, I wasn't. This had to be the first time that I didn't listen to every minuscule detail that came out of his mouth. I was going to be with Sasuke Uchiha outside of school, as friends. He thought of me as a friend. I wasn't just Ino's friend. I was Sakura.

I brushed the hair that blew into my mouth and chuckled, "Sorry, I didn't hear. Damn wind and stuff."

He raised one of those perfect eyebrows at me, "I wanted to know if you wanted to come over to my place this weekend. I just got a new PS3 and Okaa-san said it would be nice to invite a friend over."

There was that word again, _friend_. As in I was his.

"Sure," I managed to breathe out, "When should we meet?"

"Well, do you think you could come over after school at the end of the week?" he asked, "It'll be easier that way."

I nodded while wearing a goofy smile on my face. I didn't want Sasuke to go out of his way. I wanted him to know how easy-going of a girl I was. I especially don't want to annoy him.

* * *

I wish I was able to see my face just for this day. I want to be able to take a picture and look back to laugh at the dumbfounded expression I carried around all day. Everything was a blur. I'm sure at moments I forgot to breathe. I wonder if my face turned purple. I want to know that if you gazed into my eyes, if you could see Sasuke's face reflecting back from my bright, love-struck green eyes.

"Forehead," a way-too familiar voice called.

My head snapped up and I looked up to see a pair of bright, piercing blue eyes. Her glowing face was in a scowl and I felt a flick on the top of my nose. My hands flew up to cover it.

"What is _wrong_ with you," I grumbled. I saw Hinata Hyuuga stand shyly behind Ino with a bright red face.

Ino grinned that stupid, satisfied grin of hers, "Hinata's told me you didn't look good in class, but you seem all normal again."

I laughed and waved it off, "Don't worry Hinata-chan! I just sleep with my eyes open."

She blushed harder and looked down. One look at her, you never would have guessed that she was the top trumpet player at Konoha Acadamy. She doesn't act like the typical obnoxious, egotistical, always-right, loud, cocky trumpet player. Hinata is a sweet, gentle, and caring soul, the perfect homemaker.

Well, that's just what I've observed. It's only been a few months. She could be into hardcore rap for all I know.

"Forehead, do you think you could come over this weekend to study with me?" Ino asked with a mouthful of my lunch.

… Pig.

"Sorry can't give you answers this weekend," I grabbed my bento out of her hands, "I'm going to a friend's."

Hinata looked up, "A-Are you going to U-Uchiha-san's?"

My head snapped over to the soft-spoken girl, "How did you know?" Was I that obvious? No, no, no… Now I _know_ that Sasuke's aware of how I feel. He thinks I'm creepy and is only inviting me over to show where his house is and where to stay away from.

She looked down at her lap and mumbled something that sounded like "I nerd Haruto larking about tits".

Oh my God, Hinata. Now is not the time to be talking in code. If I look desperate, just tell me.

Ino nodded, "Oh Sasuke-kun in my class. We sit next to each other. He told me he was having some friends over to break in a new game console that he got."

The problem with having Ino and Hinata as friends is that one is the one that always gives you great news, and the other is the one that gives mixed signals that makes everything sound bad. I can't describe it words how my head and my heart were reacting. I was still paranoid that I was a little too obvious, but at the same time, bursting with happiness that Sasuke was excited about having friends over enough to tell Ino, a random classmate about it.

"Were you talking about Sasuke-teme?" a voice yelled out behind Hinata. The poor girl jumped in her chair so high that I could have sworn that her head should have gone crashing through the ceiling. I turned to glare that the blonde-haired boy grinning innocently.

Naruto Uzumaki, a fellow band member with a personality that would fit perfectly for a trumpet that it would be too cliché if he played it…

Which is why he plays the trombone.

Naruto exerts extra time and energy dedicated to driving Kakashi-sensei a little closer to clinical depression. As if Kakashi-sensei doesn't have a hard enough time disciplining himself to wear that mask all the time to protect his vocal chords from dust particles.

"Sakura, are you coming over to Sasuke-teme's house this weekend?" he asked excitedly.

I nodded, not really paying attention to him but to Hinata's face that was turning 50 shades of gray. I thought we made that part obvious already

Naruto looked like he was about to jump up when he yelled out, "That's great! We're going to have so much fun Sakura-chan, just you, teme, and _me_!"

* * *

Ino and Naruto ended up having to carry Hinata to the nurse. Ino scolded Naruto about how he was the one that almost killed her and he ended up staying the rest of the day with her in the nurse's. Ino went to tell Neji Hyuuga, Hinata's cousin, Hinata was in the infirmary before she had to leave for volleyball. I wasn't sure what happened after that, but I remember watching Neji carry her home when I was heading to the band room.

Naruto was going to be there. I should have known that it didn't mean anything. He did say friends, and Naruto _is_ his best friend. Would that mean that I was on my way of becoming closer to Sasuke? As close as Naruto is?

What is Sasuke to me? I was infatuated by him, no doubt, but by now, if it was a normal crush, I would have confessed after knowing him for a month. It's not like that though. I wanted to be someone that he could depend on. I wanted to know all of his secrets and troubles. But right now…

What am I to Sasuke?

The door was opened slightly and I could see Kakashi-sensei hugging another woman. Through his mask, I could see smile lines. The woman, young and shapely, ran her fingers through his thick silver hair and laughed. I couldn't help but blush and smile from seeing, but most of all being able to feel how much they loved each other.

I swung my saxophone over my head. I heard Kakashi-sensei saying that he would meet "Rin" at home after he was done with work.

Right, time to leave.

"It's rude to peep in on others," he commented, "As well as breaking and entering."

Okay, I guess not.

I tried to laugh off the awkward tension between the teacher and student, "Sorry, I was just wanted to get my instrument for the game tonight. The door is usually closed so I go in this way." I wondered if he could see me having panic attacks on the inside from happening to see his personal time.

I saw his one visible eye crinkle into an expression that looks like a grin, to my surprised, as he mused, "Try to not let too many people know about this way. It could get crowded in the morning."

My eyes immediately shot down at my feet as an awkward silence rung between us. How long did he know I was breaking into the music room? Why was he okay with it?

As I was about to leave, Kakashi-sensei's voice struck me.

"Always marry your best friend."

That comment took me by surprise, "I-I think I heard you wrong, Kakashi-sensei." What was he babbling on about? Seriously, can I leave now?

That one gray eye looked right at me and his voice was deep and clear. He said it again, and this time, it stuck with me. I will never forget the first time I had a teacher-student talk with Kakashi-sensei and he told me to always marry my best friend.

* * *

_**Hey guys, thanks for reading and keeping updated! I was surprised at how many people actually alerted and favorited this story already.**_

_**This story is all real-life things that happened to either me or my friends that I decided to combine into one Naruto FF. Its just kind of a fun summary of high school as graduation and college are coming up.**_

_**Every single favorite or alert means the world to me.**_

_**-ongakumist**_


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